Hey! Welcome to The University of Chicago Inter-league Paintball Society [ChIPS]!
Thanks for coming-out to our first meeting. To summarize the agenda we discussed, we are a recognized University Athletic Club (sanctioned Winter, 1998), serving as a resource for beginner or experienced recreational paintball players.
In addition to the University of Chicago, through our field sponsor (Operation Paintball) and the affiliated equipment dealer, what we have to offer our Active members is the following:
-Free admission
-Free Basic Equipment rental package (reduced rate for equipment upgrade)
-Free CO2 refills
-Bulk paintball purchases
-Group play with a bunch of great people, each with particular experiences, abilities, and knowledge (Whoo-Hooo!)
For team players, we also offer:
-Private practice fields
-Reduced equipment pricing
-Tournament fees
Regarding costs, since most of the expenses have been generously covered by our sponsors as well as the University, transportation and paintballs are left to be subsidized by club members. The costs of transportation varies depending on circumstances ($6 per person per University van), and paintballs sell in boxes of 1800 for $90 (about $0.05 per ball), the amount one chooses to spend on this of course varies with player.
Also in the planning is the formation of a competitive team which will participate in inter-university paintball tournaments, comprised of players who are willing to make a commitment to the activity - here, our sponsors are willing to cover tournament costs as well as separate practice fields.
The schedule for the Spring academic quarter is as follows:
>April 11 - Saturday (Easter Weekend)
Club Outing - Operation PBall
>April 25 - Saturday
Club Outing - Operation PBall
>May 9 - Saturday (Mother's Day Weekend)
Club Outing - Operation PBall
>May 12 - Tuesday
Large Group Progress and Review Meeting
Cobb 103 8:00 - 8:45 pm.
>May 23 - Saturday (Memorial Day Weekend)
Club Outing - Operation Paintball
Memorial Day Big Game
>May 30 - Saturday Inter-University Big Game
Club Outing - Challenge Park
Inter-University Big Game
There is no commitment to attend any of these events as a club member. Certainly feel free to encourage anybody who may be interested to contact us even if they cannot make it to the meetings. Admittedly, people have busy schedules, so separate mailings will be made before these events to verify and remind those of you who may want to come.
"So tell me a little about paintball!"
The sport of paintball was started in the early eighties. Essentially a game of tag, it has evolved to accommodate a variety of fields, scenarios, and people of all abilities. Modern paintball is a very safe activity - all fields are staffed with certified APPL field referees for judgement calls, and player safety is the paramount concern. Since the sport is an outdoor activity, the recreational player should dress accordingly. Depending on the weather,shorts can be worn, however long sleeves are preferable. Since this isn't exactly a fashion show, darker colors and "beat" clothing should be chosen. Insect repellent is advisable when playing just after rain and for obvious reasons, bring comfortable shoes. Since the paint fill is particularly light and water soluble, paint stains wash-out easily.
Thanks again for braving the weather and making it out with us tonight. Hope to see you around campus, and maybe out on the field, eh?
If you have any questions, definitely consult our tentative web-site at http://student-www.uchicago.edu/users/leeting/
or e-mail us at UChIPS@yahoo.com
we will try to help-out as best as we can . .
Have an awesome quarter!
Sincerely,
Lee Ting 773) 834-5691
Jonathan Press 773) 834-5781
Hey!
Wow, it's been nearly 7 weeks since we started! The University of Chicago Inter-league Paintball Society [ChIPS] had its second large group meeting tonight. To summarize the agenda we discussed, we began by reviewing old club information (of which a complete transcript can be found at our website at http://student-www.uchicago.edu/orgs/ChIPS/)
Several new issues were also addressed:
1) First and foremost, we re-iterate that while club members are entitled to free pump rentals at Operation Paintball, there is a $10 upgrade fee to play with a semi-automatic marker . . along the same lines of gun rentals, semi-automatic guns will no longer be reserved for us in advance as it has been our previous experience that the deposits for which we put on these rentals are lost when members don't show - since the field does run-out of rentals on certain weekends, if you are interested in reserving semi-automatic guns, then please get in touch with club officers in advance.
2) Since the club is not entitled to University transportation until next spring, it is absolutely imperative that people who make weekend playing commitments show-up! This is really key to ride-space planning, and the fair distribution of fuel costs.
3) We have a faculty advisor! Jeffery Webb, resident housemaster of Snell-Hitchcock, advisor in the college, and all around great chap has volunteered to oversee our activities - maybe we'll get him out on the field one of these days, eh?
4) Paintball field giant Challenge Park, owned by Bill Cookston, gave club members field membership privileges which include reduced paint rate, free admission, free air, and reduced rate rentals - we would like to note that this package will not include free basic rentals, and thus figure on about $20 per rental upgrade.
5) I&I Sports Supply, one of the largest paintball dealers, is willing to work with the club in providing reduced rates for all paintball products. If interested, contact club officers.
6) For those who are hanging around the University for the summer, the club will be in full swing, but we are planning on making 1 fewer trip per quarter as the new 1998-1999 academic year begins.
7) The schedule for the Spring academic quarter is as follows:
>May 23 - Saturday (Memorial Day Weekend)
Club Outing - Operation Paintball
Memorial Day Big Game
>May 30 - Saturday Inter-University Big Game (with NWU, UIUC, DePaul, and Wisconsin - Yipee!)
Club Outing - Challenge Park
Inter-University Big Game
There is no commitment to attend any of these events as a club member. Certainly feel free to encourage anybody who may be interested to contact us even if they cannot make it to the meetings. Admittedly, people have busy schedules, so separate mailings will be made before these events to verify and remind those of you who may want to come.
To those who were able to make it out with us tonight, thanks a lot! Good luck in rounding-out the rest of the academic year to everybody, and hope to see all of you around campus . . . even out on the field too!
Sincerely,
Lee Ting
Jonathan Press
All right, admittedly April 7 hasn't arrived quite yet. However, we've already begun to develop the game plan, and here is where we stand right now:
As the last academic year was our club's inaugural year, it was also one in which we tested the grounds. We had really great turn-outs, and great feedback. As of right now, it seems that much of the logistics concerning what the club will offer to its members, the format of club meetings/outings (and expectations), and so forth, will remain unchanged - minor changes in policy issues with club's biggest sponsor "Operation Paintball".
FYI, we are in the process of organizing a tournament in the Chicago area to take place sometime in the Spring. If you are interested, perhaps you can get in touch with us for more information. This would be a really exciting way to meet other groups like ours and to develop our own!
Do check-in with us often, as we really plan on developing this web-site in an up-to-date, content rich resource, especially for the upcoming Spring and Summer Quarters!
Heya'!
Well, this has been somewhat of an informal (and very exclusive) meeting, but as we draw towards the end of the Spring, and thus the 2000 academic year, we hereby part with some important announcements.
As of 2000, it was decided that we would no longer hold formal large group meetings upon which attendance was mandatory. Yes, we decided to make this decision despite the popular vote. What we have decided to do instead, is to hold an informal meeting two weeks prior to each scheduled outing (see our Club Schedule). Attendance to these meetings is not at all mandatory if you want to play, but anybody with questions, concerns, or who would like to place a deposit on rental equipment for the upcoming outing may do so at this time. We especially encourage players to place a deposit on rental equipment in advance, or risk having nothing to play with on game day.
Thus, membership is no longer contingent on showing-up for a large group meeting. Despite our wishes to have all players to fraternize with each other and learn about the sport of paintball, we concede to the fact that we are at the U of C and how we'd be lucky if we don't hear "Kant" in a conjoined sentence with "paintball", or take a swift karate chop over the head by a cutthroat pre-med. Ahh well, such are the doldrums of life.
Membership, however, will require a $3 annual club due.
As of 2000, membership ensures the following at our sponsored outing locations (courtesy Operation Paintball in Hampshire, IL):
Free admission
Free CO2 refills
Reduced Rental Rates: $5 pump $10 semi-automatic
Free masks and safety equipment
10% discount on paint
The newest budgetary change is that the University has allotted UChIPS a transportation budget. Therefore, it is the club's disposition to reimburse drivers (i.e. those who share their personal cars for club outings) handsomely at the rate of $10 per person per outing, including drivers. At the turn of the next millennium, that car should practically start paying for itself!
Well, take care of yourselves and we hope y'all the best of luck in finishing-up the 2000 year. We'll be in full operation for the Summer quarter, so check back often, drop us a note, and we hope to see you out on the fields soon!
